History buffs

#1
emainvol

emainvol

Giver of Sexy
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#1
I am writing a paper on Andrew Johnson's administration. It is required to be a classical historical essay, so I must present a historical problem, a solution, etc. Anyone have any ideas for a problem to use as a jumping off point?
 
#2
#2
emainvol said:
I am writing a paper on Andrew Johnson's administration. It is required to be a classical historical essay, so I must present a historical problem, a solution, etc. Anyone have any ideas for a problem to use as a jumping off point?
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I'm not sure what the task is. Help me there.
 
#3
#3
Can you use the Lincoln assassination and consequent recovery or will that be overblown?
 
#4
#4
Lexvol said:
Can you use the Lincoln assassination and consequent recovery or will that be overblown?
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or the mending fences process after a very divisive and heroic president involuntarily handed over the controls.
 
#5
#5
BigPapaVol said:
I'm not sure what the task is. Help me there.
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All essays should conform to the expectations for a "classical" historical essay containing: (1) an opening thesis-paragraph that begins with an historical problem, contains definitions and context necessary to understand your thesis, and the thesis statement itself (your interpretation of how to resolve the initial historical problem); (2) a logically organized and fully substantiated argument in support of your thesis; and (3) a concluding paragraph in which you recapitulate your argument.
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.
 
#6
#6
Lexvol said:
Can you use the Lincoln assassination and consequent recovery or will that be overblown?
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That might work, I think I am actually putting way too much thought in this. I am not a history major, and this is a general requirement, so I doubt the expectations are terribly high.
 
#7
#7
Johnson's whole presidential term and subsequent presidential legacy center around Reconstruction and his battle against the Radical Republicans in congress.
 
#12
#12
emainvol said:
I am writing a paper on Andrew Johnson's administration. It is required to be a classical historical essay, so I must present a historical problem, a solution, etc. Anyone have any ideas for a problem to use as a jumping off point?
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The main problem facing his administration was reunification of the nation, and reconstruction of the South. He was not very successful, mainly because of opposition from his own Republican party.

John was bitterly opposed to secession, but did not seek vengeance upon the South. Unlike Lincoln and Grant who wanted unify the nation and rebuild the South. Radical Republicans wanted to severely punish the South. They wanted to severe reconstruction.

Johnson refused to go along with idea. Johnson was smart enough to know that punishment and reunification, would not go hand in hand. He pardoned Confederate soldiers who swore allegiance to the Union. He allowed elections in the South. He even allowed those who held office in the Confederacy to run for their old offices. He vetoed several bills that wanted to punish the South.

His impeachment was really nothing more than retaliation for trying to remove Edwin Stanton from his position of Secretary of War.

One historical footnote of Johnson's Administration. The US purchased "Seward's Icebox" (Alaska) while was he President.
 
#13
#13
SavageOrangeJug said:
The main problem facing his administration was reunification of the nation, and reconstruction of the South. He was not very successful, mainly because of opposition from his own Republican party.

John was bitterly opposed to secession, but did not seek vengeance upon the South. Unlike Lincoln and Grant who wanted unify the nation and rebuild the South. Radical Republicans wanted to severely punish the South. They wanted to severe reconstruction.

Johnson refused to go along with idea. Johnson was smart enough to know that punishment and reunification, would not go hand in hand. He pardoned Confederate soldiers who swore allegiance to the Union. He allowed elections in the South. He even allowed those who held office in the Confederacy to run for their old offices. He vetoed several bills that wanted to punish the South.

His impeachment was really nothing more than retaliation for trying to remove Edwin Stanton from his position of Secretary of War.

One historical footnote of Johnson's Administration. The US purchased "Seward's Icebox" (Alaska) while was he President.
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In short, Johnson is a piece of $HI!!
 
#17
#17
You have no idea what you are talking about.

Reconstruction as applied by the Radical Republicans WAS a vindictive program that hurt even repentant southerners. "Vindictive" is the perfect word for it, and only the Treaty of Versailles springs to mind as more blatantly and harshly punishing the losing of a war.

That's not to say that Andrew Johnson was a good president. No, far from it. But the reason he was bad is because he had a chance for compromise, for moderation, for ensuring a fair and beneficial Reconstruction that would have fulfilled Abraham Lincoln's promise to "bind up the nation's wounds"...but because he was a dreadful and unrepentant racist, he blew it and saw salt poured into the nation's wounds instead.
 
#18
#18
OrangeEmpire said:
You have no idea what you are talking about.

Reconstruction as applied by the Radical Republicans WAS a vindictive program that hurt even repentant southerners. "Vindictive" is the perfect word for it, and only the Treaty of Versailles springs to mind as more blatantly and harshly punishing the losing of a war.

That's not to say that Andrew Johnson was a good president. No, far from it. But the reason he was bad is because he had a chance for compromise, for moderation, for ensuring a fair and beneficial Reconstruction that would have fulfilled Abraham Lincoln's promise to "bind up the nation's wounds"...but because he was a dreadful and unrepentant racist, he blew it and saw salt poured into the nation's wounds instead.
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There is no arguement that Johnson was a terrible President. Many historians consider him the worst ever.

He did however try to keep the Radical Republicans in check somewhat.
 
#20
#20
I would focus the paper on the irony of which evolved from the Lincoln assassination. Lincoln was an advocate of almost instantaneous reunification. His two main points towards his vision of reconstruction:

To regain full state hood, only 10% of a states population had to take a loyalty oath
He was not very open to the idea of extending full citizenship to freed slaves

However, once Lincoln was assassinated, the country was in the hands of incredibly vengeful and abolitionist Republicans. In turn, they completely stifled any idea that the now Johnson administration had of amnesty or reconciliation. The Congress wanted to make the former CSA pay. It certainly was a very interesting twist in history.
 
#21
#21
OrangeEmpire said:
Grrrrrr...... I almost dislike Johnson as much as Woodrow Wilson.
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I feel the same way about the other Johnson, LBJ.

That SOB came to Washington nearly bankrupt. He never made more than $100,000 a year in his life. He died worth close to $40 million. Those defense contractor kickbacks made him rich.

Those 54,000+ names on that wall, were of no consequence to him.

That and the fact we are still paying for his Great Society. Hell, our great, great grandchildren will still be paying for it.
 
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